


over the rose bush, into the weeds

by nyxanise



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Character Development, Character Study, Family Drama, Gen, Molly deserved better, Wilderness, arthur and molly's wacky adventure, dutch's pipe, jack wants candy, why can't we give him candy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 22:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17948102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyxanise/pseuds/nyxanise
Summary: The gang had been settling in at Horseshoe Overlook until Milton and his partner confronted Arthur and Jack by the river.Before they leave, Jack requests candy and Arthur'll be damned if he doesn't get him any.On his way to leave for Valentine, he is stopped by one irritable Molly O'Shea asking him to clean up one of her messes. He isn't going to be slowed down because of her silly mistake, so he takes her with him on his quest to find candy for Jack... but it gets quite hard to fulfill this goal when it seems that Molly's broken mirror has caught them in a whirlwind of bad luck.





	over the rose bush, into the weeds

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first fanfic, so I'm really excited!
> 
> Constructive criticism is welcome :)

“Let me know if you find candy!”

Arthur smiled fondly and ruffled the kid’s hair as he trotted away, presumably on a mission to find a large stick to draw on the dirt with. The simple request endeared him, being used to helping with high stake heists, or ultimately doing the most stressful jobs in the gang.

Seems easy enough, he thought. The punishing outlaw life rarely gave opportunity for kid-friendly treats, other than those children’s books Hosea often helped Jack read. Poor Abigail had even asked him to take him fishing last week to curb his boredom, and that had turned out to be a rotten trip. Only so much a child could get up to with only busy adults around. Compared to what they’ve been through this past month, getting Jack some candy would certainly be no problem at all.

Except there was literally no candy to be found. He growled in frustration, roughly pushing aside the cans of food in the wagon. He could have sworn to have put more luxurious items on their shopping list since getting back in the groove of robbing.

Where was the goddamn candy?

“Looking for something in particular, Mr. Morgan?” Pearson appeared ‘round the corner, brandishing a greasy cleaver.

“You ain’t happen to see any candy, or chocolate, have you?” He peered over the wider man’s shoulder, as though he might have stashed it away. He wouldn’t put it past him, seein’ as he’d done it with the alcohol.

“Can’t say I have. Sorry.”

“Useless…” He huffed under his breath.

“What was that?” Pearson asked, but Arthur ignored him, looking at the sky in deep thought. Where was, or more likely, who could have gotten the candy he knew he put on the list?

“Hey Arthur, look at this.” He looked back down, and Pearson produced the paper that proved his conviction. “Looks like Hosea, or Miss Grimshaw crossed it off the shopping list.” He mused.

Damn it, that woman lived to undermine any guilty pleasures for the camp. He scoffed, and looked over at his beloved horse. Jack was going to get that candy if it was the last thing he’d do.

He walked away, waving off Pearson’s now distant chuckle. Probably amused that big, bad Arthur Morgan was throwing a tantrum over sweets.

He stopped by his tent to grab his repeater and a couple of throwing knives. He was only going on a shopping trip, and any unplanned trouble would be quickly solved either with his moody mug, or a quick bullet.

He found Molly hovering by his tent, wringing her hands, shoulders hunched. Odd.

“Miss O’Shea, to what do I owe the pleasure?” He asked pleasantly, crossing his arms and leaning slightly forward. She ran her hands through her pretty red hair rather aggressively and peered at him with pleading eyes.

“I…” she hesitated, then lifted her chin and straightened her hunched posture, closing her hands into tight fists. “I need your help, Arthur.”

His mouth thinned and he looked at her uneasily. “If it’s about Dutch, I don’t think-”

“No, it’s not Dutch,” she snapped, then darted her eyes about the camp. “Well, it is. But not like that.”

He sighed, looking down for a moment. He looked back up and flicked a hand at her. “What is it then?”

“It’s his pipe- I, I broke it.” She looked up at Arthur’s exasperated groan and glared, “It wasn’t on purpose, honestly. He shouldn’t have left it on my bed in the first place.”

“So, you want me to find him another one, that it? I’m kind of busy, Molly, I was on my way out, an’ pipes ain’t all that easy to find. They’re real fancy ‘round here.”

She pursed her lips. “So go to the store, then.” She persisted shrewdly, “I know you’re going anyway. People say you’ve been walking around looking fer sweets.”

“Talk of the camp, ain’t I.” She stared at him stubbornly. He sighed petulantly and threw his arms up. “Fine. But you’re comin’ with me.” She gaped at him, scandalized as he grabbed his weaponry. “I ain’t gonna tear up the town lookin’ for something that don’t exist.”

“That-That ain’t proper at all with just the two of us, and I have things to do!”

“What, you gotta gaze over the cliff and write more love letters?” He gruffed, “You want that pipe, you have to come with me.”

She stamped her pristine white boot on the grass, the brat. She nodded tightly and briskly walked to her giant tent. “Wait for me, you brute.”

He chuckled at her childish behavior and finally made it to his horse. He would get Jack his candy by the end of the day, and he would strand Molly O’Shea in Valentine if he had to.

Not really, though. Dutch would kill him.

“Where you headed?” a voice called through the bushes by the entrance. Javier, the accent told him, and was confirmed when his form walked through the foliage.

“Gotta head to Valentine to pick up some things with Miss O’Shea.” He was slightly relieved the gossip hadn’t reached the camp guards yet, but he knew Bill and Javier would tease him relentlessly once he came back about his apparent sweet tooth.

“Molly? Good luck, my friend.” He laughed in response, and on cue, the lady herself walked up to him, shawl on and purse in arm. She peered suspiciously between the men and huffed, likely deducting that their amusement was at her expense. Although it was true, she would have come to the same conclusion if they hadn’t been, he bet.

“Well.” he hoisted himself over the Tennessee Walker, and held a hand out to the redhead. “It’s already noon. We gotta hurry on if we’re gonna make it back ‘fore dark.”

She gripped his hand and he lifted her onto the saddle behind him, instructing her to grab onto his waist. She turned scarlet, probably used to only riding with Dutch, but did so anyway.

“Don’t get any funny ideas, Mr. Morgan.” He rolled his eyes and Javier snorted next to them.

“Yeah, Arthur, Dutch wouldn’t be too happy about that,” He teased. Arthur gestured rudely at him and spurred the horse into sudden motion, causing Molly to nearly shriek and grip him tighter.

“Don’t worry, Miss O’Shea, my days of chasin’ ladies are over,” He said as they rode out of camp and onto the road, kicking up brown clouds of dirt around them.

“So you say. I saw you talkin’ to Mary Beth, and the other girls, I’m not blind.”

He shook his head. This was going to be a long day.

**Author's Note:**

> Molly "I have a boyfriend" O'Shea deserved better and I'll fight anyone and everyone on this
> 
> Not really sure how I'll go about this so far! Like I said, it's my first fic and I'm kind of just testing the waters and finding my voice here. I finally started my new year's resolution of writing more. In March... rip 
> 
> I hope you enjoy my experimenting with this story!


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